Easy French moules marinieres
Mussels are usually something I don’t prepare at home. I tend to have them as a foodie treat when I go back home to France. But as I write, we are in the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restaurant trade has collapsed. So local fishmongers normally selling to pubs and restaurant are selling direct and have an amazing selection of seafood, including mussels. Please don’t be scared by them as they are the easiest to prepare. I hope you have a go!
ingredients
Serves 2-4
1kg fresh mussels
large knob of unsalted butter
3-4 shallots, finely chopped (or 1 onion)
2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
25cl single cream
100ml dry white wine
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Fresh black pepper
method
prep time: 20mins
cook time: 10 minutes
Cleaning the mussels
Add the mussels to a colander and shake them under cold running water. You don’t need to scrub the shells.
With a strong shaking action, the mussels should all close up. If they don’t close, discard them.
Scrape off any barnacles from the mussels with a knife and pull out the ‘beards’ and rinse well.
Cooking
In a large cast iron pan, add the butter and soften the shallots and garlic, over a medium heat for about 1 minute.
Add the mussels and white wine, cover the pan tightly with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the mussels open. Again, discard those that haven’t opened.
To finish, stir in the cream and chopped parsley and shake to cover all the mussels.
Serve straight from the large pan or split into 2- 4 soup plates, depending on whether you are serving as a starter or main course.
Don’t forget to accompany with some delicious French bread or sourdough.
the health boost tip
I do hope you have a great fishmonger local to you and that you can give this a go. it is such a quick and easy recipe, sure to impress your foodie guests!!
